Chapter 1: Flowers Bloom, Guests Arrive

Chapter 1: Flowers Bloom, Guests Arrive

This winter was exceptionally cold.

The snow that had fallen seven or eight days ago still lingered on the rooftops.

Only in the last two days had it begun to warm up.

Although it hadn't become warm all at once, the sun was bright and large!

It melted the accumulated snow, which dripped down from the icicles hanging under the eaves.

Mo Yi, the fifth young lady of the Mo family, had her maid, Xiangye, take the daffodils she was raising outside to a sheltered, sunny spot to bask.

Her room did not face the sun, and she didn't have a proper courtyard.

Daffodils love the sun.

After basking for a while, Xiangye was just bringing them back in, afraid they would freeze if left out too long.

"Young Miss, one little flower actually bloomed today!" Xiangye said happily after moving the last pot.

Mo Yi wrinkled her nose. "I know! I can already smell the fragrance."

A small charcoal stove was burning in front of the *kang*, and a small copper kettle sat on an iron rack, emitting steam.

She sat cross-legged on the heated bed.

On the *kang* table in front of her were paper, brushes, and some miscellaneous items. In her hand, she held a piece of agate the size of a walnut.

Although it was called agate, the quality was very poor, and the shape was irregular.

There was no helping it; she couldn't afford high-quality materials.

She had to make the best use of what she had, relying on novel designs to hide the cotton-like inclusions, spots, and cracks, maximizing their potential—sometimes, even defying fate...

Sigh, if a poor girl wants to pretend to be a young lady of status, she has to put her mind to it!

Her slender fingers gently explored the stone, moving it near and far, squinting as she examined it.

The material was yellow, but it had a dark brown patch and lacked luster.

What to do?

"...Let me think about it some more." She loved doing this; her expression was pleasant as she worked, and she hummed a little tune.

Mo Yi had just turned fifteen. She had a head of thick, dark hair, clear black eyes, and a rosy, round face that still held a hint of baby fat.

At the moment, she was wearing a casual cotton jacket and wide-legged cotton trousers. Her hair was simply braided and held in place by two ebony hairpins.

From head to toe, she wore not a single piece of jewelry.

After pondering for a while longer, she picked up her brush and drew on the paper.

Since she had already made up her mind, her strokes were swift, and she sketched it out in just a few lines.

Holding the paper in one hand and the stone in the other, she compared them. "...This is the only way." She tied the stone to the drawing with a thread and lifted the small box beside her to put it inside.

She turned to pick up another piece of material, just about to examine it closely...

Suddenly, she heard footsteps outside the door.

She paused for a moment...

"Someone's coming." She whispered to her head maid, Xiangzhi, and quickly closed the box, putting the material back.

She turned and picked up some needlework from the basket beside her.

"Second Sister!" someone called from outside.

"..." Mo Wen?

Why had she come?

Mo Yi quickly got off the *kang* and slipped into her cotton-padded shoes. "Big Sister?"

Xiangzhi hurried over to open the door and lifted the cotton curtain. Xiangye also stood respectfully to the side.

A woman entered, carried in by the cold air. She had a tall figure and was draped in a thin, cotton-padded brocade cloak.

After entering the room, she took off her hood, revealing a beautiful, vibrant face.

It was indeed her own sister, Mo Wen.

"It's so cold outside, why did you come, Sister... Is something the matter?" Mo Yi was genuinely surprised.

"Nothing. I felt a bit stifled in my room, so I came to see you..." Mo Wen looked Mo Yi up and down.

She lightly furrowed her beautiful brows. "What are you wearing!"

Mo Yi smiled sheepishly. "I was working in the room. Please, sit, Sister."

Giving her a look of disdain, Mo Wen took off her cloak, threw it on the *kang*, and sat on the edge.

Underneath, she wore a green floral-patterned half-sleeve jacket and a dark green fine cotton shirt. The clothes were well-fitted, accentuating her slender waist.

Below, she wore a green pleated skirt, revealing the tips of her thick-soled embroidered cotton boots.

Mo Wen’s skin was extremely fair, lacking much color, so this shade suited her perfectly. Like a jade-faced beauty in green, she brought a touch of brilliant spring to the dreary winter.

"The water just boiled; shall I make you a bowl of almond soup?" Mo Yi pushed the small dish of melon seeds and peanuts toward Mo Wen.

"Mm," Mo Wen replied casually.

On the high side table sat a ginger jar decorated with plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum patterns. Mo Yi opened it, scooped out two spoonfuls of almond powder, added some osmanthus sugar, and mixed it with cold water from a small jar.

Then, she lifted the copper kettle to pour in the hot water, stirring continuously with practiced movements.

"Are you doing work?" Mo Wen looked at the basket on the *kang*.

"Yes, making buttons." The almond soup was ready, and she placed it in front of Mo Wen.

She picked up her work. "These are the phoenix-tail buttons from Mrs. Hu's dress the other day. I thought about it for a long time after I got back before I could barely make them. But I still can't get this part right. Sister, look..."

Mo Wen took it, but although her eyes were on it, Mo Yi felt she was somewhat distracted.

"Mm, it's alright!" Mo Wen looked at it and put it down.

"Once you're skilled at it, use better materials and make more, then you can sew them directly onto clothes later."

"Mm." Mo Wen looked around the room, frowning slightly, pointing here and there. "Look at how messy and dirty your place is..."

Small paintings hung on the walls, along with calligraphy written by their father. The shelves held books and numerous sundries. A dozen flower pots sat on the floor, making the not-so-large room feel cramped.

It was a bit cluttered, but not dirty—she cleaned it every day... Mo Yi only smiled and did not argue.

"Eh? What is this fragrance?" Mo Wen sniffed.

"It's the daffodils; one bloomed today."

"Oh? Let me see..." Mo Wen stood up.

There were over twenty pots of daffodils of various sizes on the windowsill and the floor. The leaves weren't tall, but there were many flower buds! They were in various poses and looked very beautiful.

After examining them closely, Mo Wen pointed to the one in bloom. "This pot is not bad. I'll take it!"

"Sister..." Mo Yi felt troubled.

"What? You can't bear to part with it?" Mo Wen’s face darkened slightly, her eyes narrowing.

"It's like this..." Mo Yi quickly explained. "My eldest uncle asked me to help him grow these. The bulbs and the purple clay pots are his. Once the buds are full, they are to be given away as gifts. Bulbs were expensive this year because of the cold, so he didn't buy many. I'm worried my uncle counted them exactly!"

"Oh!" Mo Wen lowered her eyelids. "So it's a rare treasure? Look at me, I have no eye for things, asking for someone's treasure the moment I open my mouth!"

With that, she turned to grab her cloak, ready to leave.

Mo Yi hurriedly held her back... This eldest daughter of her parents was beautiful and dignified in her bearing.

Everyone said she was steady and generous in her dealings.

But in truth... she was the most vain and the most petty!

Others might hold a grudge, but she would pay it back tenfold!

If she refused her like this, it would surely lead to more trouble, and it would be endless!

And she was her mother's favorite daughter!

"Sister!" Mo Yi pleaded. "How about this? I'll reorganize them in a bit. I'll move out the ones you like. Tonight, I'll have Xiangye send them to you, alright?"

This attitude was acceptable...

Mo Wen sat back down, though she was still unhappy.

Mo Yi had to continue explaining. "Sister... these were originally meant for my uncle. It wouldn't matter if I gave you one or two. But I'm afraid... if others see them and all come asking, I won't be able to stop them. If the count isn't right... it's almost New Year's, let's not make Uncle unhappy."

Uncle Mo Rushan was the pillar of the family.

Their branch of the family relied on him to get by, so they had to show him respect!

Mo Wen was about to say something when the sound of running footsteps came from outside, and Dujuan whispered urgently, "Young Miss, the Mistress is back!"

"She's back?!" Mo Wen stood up, both excited and nervous.

Perhaps she was too excited; without even saying goodbye, she grabbed her cloak, opened the door herself, and hurried away.

It seemed she had completely forgotten about the daffodils!

Mo Yi followed her to the door, and the wind blew into her neck.

She shivered—it was so cold!

She noticed Mo Wen hadn't even had time to put on her cloak.

She was in such a hurry...

My dear readers, I'm back again!

First, I want to thank all the darlings who have come to love this book for your anticipation, and then thank my editor, Zisu, for her encouragement and support!

In this day and age where "face-slapping" and "pampering" novels dominate, I am still writing this kind of slow-paced story about family trivialities—I really admire myself.

Although I'm still holding on... I still implore you, my dears

If you have money, please support me with money (you know what I mean).

If you don't have money, please support me with your presence (throw all kinds of tickets at me).

If you have neither, just come and watch the fun (add to your library, leave a comment).

I hope you all like it. I will work hard too.

(End of chapter)